What stands out worked out from the figures below

Penobscot has the most affordable homes ($296k median).

Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Penobscot	Hope
People
Population	1,154Lowest	1,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average
	Penobscot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	47.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME	$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average	$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME
	Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME
	Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,852Lowest 39% below ME	$3,842Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Penobscot and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Penobscot Public Schools	Hope Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.